Ryobi circular saw: Read before you make a mistake

A Ryobi circular saw can be workhorse in your work shop, especially if you don’t have room for a table saw. Ryobi is a well-known brand that is often cheaper than other well-known brands, but is it worth the money you might save?

This review will help you determine if a Ryobi circular saw will fit your needs, explain different options you have, and review the different pros and cons of the various versions.

What is a Ryobi circular saw?

As a brand, Ryobi started selling power tools in the 1970s. In the 1990s, Techtronic Industries (TTI), took over Ryobi brand in north America. This Hong Kong based company also sells HART and Milwaukee tool brands, among several others.

Ryobi generally attracts DIYers and wood working hobbyists who are not necessarily using their tools every day. They are well-suited for that purpose and should last quite a while.

Home Depot markets Ryobi tools to DIYers as one of their two flagship brands. They market their other flagship brand, Rigid, to contractors and professionals.

There are more than type of Ryobi circular saw. The main differences include:

• size of the blade
• corded vs cordless models
• certain features, such as laser guiding lights

They offer similar options to their competitors in regards to size and are generally mid-range in terms of price. You can find some cheaper options but will not generally pay as much as you would for a DeWalt or other higher end circular saw.

For real beginners

Everyone starts somewhere, and that’s OK. If you don’t know exactly what a circular saw is, that’s also alright (I won’t tell anyone). Here’s a short crash course on what they are. If you already know what a circular saw is, feel free to skip over this little section.

Circular saws are handheld power tools that perform many of the same functions as a table saw. They can make rip cuts (a cut with the grain, often along the length of a board), cross cuts (a cut that goes across the grain often across a board), and mitered cuts (angled cuts often used in joints) in boards and other work pieces.

The main difference between a table saw and circular saw is you push the board through the table saw blade while you push the circular saw blade through a stationary, clamped down board. Of course, one is typically a heavy table based tool that has a few other built in features, like a rip fence, but for all practical purposes, there are few cuts a circular can’t make that a table saw can.

As the name implies, a circular saw has a circular blade. Blades can differ in the number of teeth they have, type of material they are made out of and cut through, and blade size (measured in diameter).

Blades can range in size from about 5 1/2″ to over 10″. It is important to keep in mind that the size of the blade is the diameter and does not represent the total cutting depth the saw can achieve. For example, a Ryobi 7 1/4″ circular saw can only cut 1-7/8″ when perpendicular to the board and 1-11/16″ at a 45 degree angle.

The tool itself varies in their power level in their motor and source of power. Their are cordless options (battery operated) to consider as well. While you can choose whatever power type you prefer, I’ve accidently cut one too many cords while operating a corded version, so I primarily use battery operated versions to avoid this issue.

Types of Ryobi circular saws available

If you search for Ryobi circular saw, you will notice there are more than one version available for purchase. Here’s a break down of every version of Ryobi circular saw available for purchase.

Features available to every type of Ryobi circular saw

Ryobi circular saws offer some similar features not matter which you choose to go with. They include:

• 3 year warranty on both the saw itself and a separate 3 year warranty on any batteries you purchase
• a starter blade that fits the tool
• wrench for blade changes

Is a Ryobi circular saw worth it?

A Ryobi circular saw is generally a good tool, particularly for DIYers and hobbyist woodworkers.

I own both an HP brushless Ryobi circular saw as well as a smaller, battery powered saw. Both saws serve me well for different purposes.

The HP version helps quite a bit when I need to cut larger boards when working in the yard. For example, it came in very handy when working on swing set for the kids.

The smaller battery operated version of the circular saw by Ryobi works pretty well. The biggest issue with the smaller one is that while it works well with thin boards, it has a much more limited depth of cut, making it a bit less versatile.

Ryobi circular saws also generally gets good reviews on their website, Home Depot’s website, and Amazon with many reviewers giving 5 star reviews. People generally seem happy when they buy the correct saw for their needs.

That said, if you are a contractor or someone who intends to put their saw through intense work, you may want to either go with the HP brushless or consider a brand geared more towards professionals.

Also, consider what you work with. If you mainly cut plywood sheets down to size and similar thin boards, you can go with a smaller, more affordable option. But if you plan to cut 2x4s and other larger pieces, you may want to consider one of their bigger models.

Finally, if you have the space for it, you may want to consider getting either a Ryobi table saw or Ryobi miter saw. Both of these options provide great cutting for the average DIYer and hobbyist.

Where to buy a Ryobi circular saw

You can purchase a Ryobi circular saw in a few different spots, such as:

• Get it from Home Depot: You have the most options with this. You can go to a store and purchase it yourself and often see a display model if you want to get a feel for it. You can also order one for shipment to your home or to your local store. Both options are free. If you go to Ryobi’s website, they will open a cart from Home Depot, which gives you the same two options.
• Amazon: You can find sellers looking to sell you different types of Ryobi circular saw. They generally offer competitive prices to Home Deport, but you may need to watch that you are not paying fully price for an older model.
• Second-hand sites: Facebook Marketplace and other secondhand shops, like eBay, often have options to purchase Ryobi tools, like a circular saw. Sometimes you can luck out with a people off loading an unopened tool. That’s how I got my brushless Ryobi jigsaw a few years back and I have no complaints.

When to buy Ryobi tools

Oddly enough, there are better times of year to purchase Ryobi tools. Home Depot runs a special every year around May or June called Ryobi Days. During this time, they offer different discounts, buy one get one free specials, free tools with the purchase of a battery, and so on.

It’s a good time to start a Ryobi collection, buy replacement batteries, or to pick up one of the many models of Ryobi circular saw available. If you buy a replacement battery that comes with a free tool that you don’t need, you can always give it away or try to sell it yourself on Facebook Market place or other sites.

Also, around the holidays in November and December, Home Depot often runs specials on a lot of their tools and products, so it may be worth checking out some of those specials too.

Top 6 considerations before buying a Ryobi circular saw

Here are some of the top considerations before getting yourself a Ryobi circular saw:

• Intended use: This is two-fold. You need to consider if you plan to use it daily, in which case you may want a different brand or get one of their higher end models. You also need to get one that fits the size of the wood you plan to work with. A small saw won’t do you much good if you have thicker boards you need to cut.
• Price: Ryobi circular saws are generally lower priced than some of the contract grade brands, like DeWalt, but they are a bit more than some of the discount tools out there. For the price, their tools work pretty well.
• Durability: The HP brushless model comes with a sturdier construction, which may work well for you if you are rough on your tools.
• Battery vs corded: Ryobi offers both versions of circular saws, which means you need to decide if the extra power you get from a cord is worth losing the flexibility of of battery operated options. Battery operated are generally lighter, don’t need a nearby outlet or extension cord, and cannot cut through its own cord. Yes, I’ve done that. While not necessarily safe, you can live to talk about it and fix your saw if you know how to connect wires properly. Still, it is not fun to do.
• Reviews: While I have been happy overall with my Ryobi circular saws, you should also consider that they all get pretty good reviews on various websites. Yes, you will see the die hard professionals scoff at them, but keep in mind, they are not necessarily made for heavy daily use.
• Available accessories: Ryobi offers replacement blades, vacuum attachments, and replacement batteries for sale. You can also use competitor’s blades as long as they fit your saw. The only drawback is one not unique to Ryobi, which is that you cannot put other brands of batteries in your Ryobi tools so you do get funneled into purchasing their batteries.

Take away

Ryobi offers several different options for circular saws to choose from. They range in size from 5.5″ to 7.25″ and come in both battery operated and corded versions. Corded typically has more power, but battery operated is often more convenient and easier to use where ever you need it.

With few exceptions, you can replace the blades with any competitor’s blade designed for the size saw you have. You can also get optional vacuum attachments that work with some of the Ryobi circular saws as well as batteries.

You can buy a Ryobi circular saw from Home Depot, Amazon, or a second hand site. Certain times of year, such as around the holidays or Ryobi Days in May or June, are typically the best prices for their tools.

User reviews are generally positive for the circular saws by Ryobi. DIYers and hobbyists will likely find that they fit their needs for a generally affordable price. For the price, it will be difficult to find a better overall circular saw than Ryobi’s version.

Need more help?

If you are building your workshop and trying to decide between a miter saw (chop saw) or table saw, check out the benefits and draw backs of each in this comparison post.

If you are considering a Ryobi planer, you can check out this post too.

If you are new to wood working or DIY, check out this post of suggestions for getting started.